With about five weeks left until the 2012 presidential election, both
Democrats and Republicans are kicking their campaigns into high gear.As more potential voters turn to the Internet to stay connected — and less are catching political TV spots — the need to leverage social media to hit respective audiences has never been greater. But the payoff could be huge for either party.
The force behind the campaign for Republican candidate Mitt Romney includes a digital rapid response department that works alongside the communications team at its Boston headquarters. Romney’s digital director, Zac Moffatt — who oversees all social media initiatives, as well as email and text message marketing, website and online advertising and mobile strategy — says the campaign is getting ready to ramp up efforts in the days leading up to the election, and social media will play a big part in that.
“There is a higher level of expectation for speed than in past elections for getting information out, and the campaigns have to be that much faster, whether it’s through mobile or social media sites such as Google+, Facebook and Twitter,” Moffatt said. “The Internet is a powerful thing, and not everyone is watching TV spots anymore, so we’re trying to use the web to our advantage the best way we can.”
To manage the flow, the team went from 14 staffers in the primaries to about 120 people. The campaign keeps an eye on social media sentiment and what people are saying, from voters to journalists. About 6 million people are already connecting to Romney’s campaign on social media sites.
“We are always monitoring the online audience, but it’s hard to measure success right now,” he said. “There are about six million people connected to the campaign on social media sites right now, and we know people are engaged. We need to keep that engagement thriving.”
To do so, Moffatt said the team is about to work even harder in the days leading up to the debates and Election Day.
His day begins at about 7 a.m. with a series of conference calls and meetings that conclude around 9 a.m. The meetings don’t pick up again until about 11 a.m. across different states and departments, and then momentum builds throughout the day as projects in need of approval pour in. On a good day, things wrap around 8 p.m.
Moffatt said his team has become especially close throughout the entire process, noting that many even went to his wedding: “When you spend so much time doing what you do for work, it’s important to have the right people around you,” he said.
As time rolls closer to Election Day, millions of people will start to visit the website in the next 30 days, coupled with the 6 million people already engaging on Facebook and Twitter, so the team is about to ramp up efforts now more than ever.
“When we get into the final stage, we will work with state teams for volunteers who do door-knocking and boast up our online strategy about eight times more,” Moffatt said. “We are moving into a phase of mobilization where every day is important.”
But after the election, Moffatt has just one thing on his mind: “Sleep,” he said. “I also want to spend more time with my young daughter and my wife.”
Meanwhile, President Obama’s team is also keeping social media top of mind throughout the campaign. Not only is it leveraging his more than 20 million Twitter followers and nearly 29 million Facebook fans — significantly more than Romney’s social media presence — by sending out registration information and statements about Obama’s views, they are also posting articles, tweeting facts about Romney’s stances and using it as a platform to respond quickly when needed.
“As we push through the few weeks of this election, social media is one important way we can keep a conversation going with our supporters and undecided voters across the country about the clear choice Americans face in this election — between the President’s plan to keep moving forward with an economy built on a strong middle class, and Mitt Romney’s plan to go back to the same failed policies of the past,” Obama spokesperson Adam Fetcher told Mashable.
Those behind Obama’s social media strategy are clearly sharp and quick, too: It didn’t take long for Obama to react to Clint Eastwood’s “Invisible Obama” routine, which took place at the 2012 Republican National Convention last month and became a meme that spread like wildfire across the Internet.
Obama tweeted a picture — sent from the @BarackObama account, run by his campaign — of him sitting in a chair marked “the President.” His caption: “This seat’s taken.” Many applauded the campaign’s use of social media to respond quickly to what was happening.
This seat’s taken. OFA.BO/c2gbfi, twitter.com/BarackObama/st…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 31, 2012
Social media is also being blended into other strategies, including mobile. The campaign is using a Dashboard tool for supporters and volunteers, so they can get all of the necessary information to become engaged with the campaign, both online and offline. For example, volunteers making calls through the Dashboard tool can have results uploaded in real time to the exact same system used in the field offices. This eliminates duplication and redundancy, and volunteers can share their progress with others on Facebook and Twitter along the way.
